Who needs South Beach when you can have the Mediterranean? You heard it right. If youre ready to take a vacation from unhealthy living, weve got just the break you need. This summers hottest way to shed those extra pounds comes from The Miami Mediterranean Diet, the brainchild of South Florida cardiologist Dr. Michael Ozner.

Putting the book together was a no-brainer for Dr. Ozner. For the last 25 years, he has relied on the Mediterranean approach to help his patients lose weight and rally against heart disease.

And while other diets come and go, the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet have remained steadfast. Now hes unveiling his findings in the ground-breaking guide to good health The Miami Mediterranean Diet .

Long touted as eDiets Plan, the Mediterranean Diet is based on an eating regimen and lifestyle which emphasizes fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, cold-water fish, olive oil and poultry. The program includes a moderate consumption of dairy products and a limited consumption of red meat. Red wine is also a popular staple of the Mediterranean Diet.

In The Miami Mediterranean Diet, Dr. Ozner shares a 14-day menu plan, along with about 200 gourmet recipes including goat cheese-stuffed tomatoes, shrimp in spicy black bean sauce, pizza margherita, chicken and eggplant, peach marsala compote, roasted red pepper dip and lamb with black olives. Its the perfect remedy for desperate dieters whove gotten wrapped up in the monotony of grilled lean protein and steamed vegetables with little flair or flavor.

Dr. Ozners enticing recipes will have you licking your chops. Although hes not talking about eliminating any major food groups, Dr. Ozner says that oversized portions and processed foods are Public Enemy No. 1.

The obesity epidemic in this country stems not from the consumption of healthy carbohydrates," Dr. Ozner says. "It stems from the fact that we have oversized food in terms of portion size and increased consumption of refined sugar and refined carbs, not to mention significantly increasing the consumption of saturated and trans fat which have also been linked to obesity.

The healthy diet isnt a diet that eliminates carbohydrates to lose weight. eDiets Plan is a diet that gets rid of refined sugar, trans fat and all the processing that occurs with food.

"Thats what I have introduced in the past 25 years and have had very good long-term success having patients lose weight, keep it off and, most importantly, significantly lowering their risk of having a heart attack.

In addition to this balanced way of eating, theres also an emphasis on regular exercise and stress reduction. Its the ultimate recipe for longevity. Dr. Ozner swears by the program thats benefitted so many of his patients over the last two decades. Unlike other diets concocted by nutritional experts, Dr. Ozner says his conclusions are tried and true.

This type of diet and lifestyle has been associated with a significant reduction in the risk of heart disease and cancer, says Dr. Ozner, the Director of Wellness and Prevention at Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute. A study conducted in the 1950s looked at seven different countries including the U.S., Italy and Greece. They found that the countries which had the lowest incidence of heart disease and cancer were the Mediterranean regions where they substituted saturated fats with monounsaturated fats, mainly olive oil.

Since that time numerous other studies have demonstrated that the Mediterranean Diet as described above translates into a significant reduction in heart disease and cancer. Before releasing the The Miami Mediterranean Diet, Dr. Ozner shared this nutritional approach with his patients the old-fashioned way. He provided them with a typewritten sheet of paper that described the diet. In addition, hed give them recipes to follow. In time, Dr. Ozner realized he was onto something, an approach that could be of help to a larger audience.

Not only do my patients enjoy it, Ive had significant feedback from lectures all over the country that people really love the food and the recipes," he says. "They dont feel like theyre on a diet, which is critical. No matter what the diet is, if people dont enjoy the food they wont stay on it long term.

The Miami Mediterranean Diet brings to the table a diet that is not only palatable, but one that can be given to the entire family both young and old. People take comfort in the fact if they follow the principles of The Miami Mediterranean Diet it will improve long-term health. Dr. Ozner points out that when following The Miami Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle, people can expect to lose a pound a week, which quickly adds up to around 50 pounds a year. What makes this approach different is that the weight will stay off because theres not that feeling of deprivation that often drives dieters to return to their old habits.

For a taste of the Miami Mediterranean Diet, give these two delicious dishes a try:

Chicken Piccata

4 (3 oz. each) chicken breast fillets, lightly pounded

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 cup low-salt chicken broth

2 Tbsp. dry white wine

4 tsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp. capers

Lemon wedges for garnish

Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet, add chicken fillets and cook until fillets are lightly browned and centers cooked. Transfer chicken to a hot place to keep warm. Add remaining teaspoon of oil and garlic to skillet and cook for 30 seconds to soften. Combine chicken broth, wine, lemon juice and flour in skillet where chicken was cooked. Stir to blend, continue stirring until mixture thickens. Stir in parsley and capers; spoon sauce over fillets.

Place each fillet on a plate; spoon mixture over fillets. Garnish with lemon wedges. Add hot cooked spinach linguine or pasta of choice. Serve with one cup of pasta.

Makes four servings. Nutritional values: 289 calories, 10g protein, 4g fat, 39g carbohydrates, 41mg cholesterol, 68mg sodium, 1g fiber.

Peach Marsala Compote

12 fresh peaches

6 cups water

3/4 cup Splenda granulars

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp freshly grated ground nutmeg

Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a two-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Blanch the peaches in boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove peaches from pot and, while holding under running cold water, remove the skins. Pit and slice peaches. Add peaches, Splenda, wine, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg to a baking dish and bake for 45 minutes to one hour.

Makes six servings. Nutritional values: 164 calories, 2g protein, 0g fat, 40g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 4g fiber.

Eat, drink & be thin on the Mediterranean Diet!

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